ALGERIA: Wasting War

The two trucks loaded with French recruits
rumbled through a narrow pass in the Nemencha Mountains near the
Tunisian border. In this ideal ambush terrain, a murderous hail of
bullets burst from the cliffs above them. Two officers and 21 men were
killed. The survivors jumped down, sought cover and fought back. Four
hours later helicopters thrashed overhead. Each disgorged five men as
reinforcements, picked up the wounded, flew off to return with a new
load. For five days last week the battle raged as French troops and
paratroopers tried to root...